Used to take the #29 to and from McLaren Park as it conveniently runs E-W on Mansell and down to the Balboa Park BART.

Due to a recent route change, coming back down to the Balboa Park BART one now has to cross the street on the north side of the BP BART and I really don’t like doing this.

So alternatively can take the #54 and #52 that stop close to the park’s north side. The #52 is especially convenient as I can take it directly from/to the Glen Park BART at Bosworth. Its last stop is the school at La Grande & Dublin in the Excelsior neighborhood: first two pix

The only downer re the #52 is that it only runs every half hour. This is the same bus I sometimes take to/from Diamond Heights and upper Glen Canyon.

From the La Grande/Dublin stop, east to Brazil, then south, curving round at the west edge of the park several blocks, green slopes above, to Mansell.

Street dividers are in place up to Mansell: 3, 4, 5, 6

Mansell’s entire lower part is now closed off to motor vehicles. This new pedestrian- and bike-friendly area was supposed to have its grand opening on Jan. 21 but got delayed due to rain.

The whole W-E length is walkable now with a new park infosign (pic 7), a new bench at Brazil, and new plantings all along the now car-free lower road: 8

Slopes above Mansell on the north side: 9, 10

This is new, near the eastside tennis courts: 11

Mansell is a median-divided street. Vehicles now run along the upper part only. The #29 turns near University at the east park boundary (Portola neighborhood) and Visittacion to continue on upper Mansell.

West to east, starting off along the lower part of the park: 12 thru 25

Now for my favorite trail (in this park) that has six switchbacks down to Lake McNab.It was still slick and muddy in places. Down to Lake McNab, then back up: 26 thru 37

When I take the #54 (across the street on the west side of the Balboa Park BART), there are a few stairways in this upper Excelsior neighborhood. This beauty of a stairway minipark, the Athens Avalon Greenspace, has 99 steps: 38, 39, 40.